Linh Ly is doing just fine : a novel

Linh Ly is doing just fine A novel

Thao Votang

Book - 2024

"When 27-year-old Linh Ly's recently-divorced mother begins dating a coworker, Linh is determined to make sure he is worthy of her mother. She's seen the kind of men her mother ends up with - she grew up watching her unreliable and volatile alcoholic father as her mother worked two jobs to make ends meet. Linh is certain that her mother can't do this on her own, but what begins as genuine worry quickly turns obsessive. Following her mother and spying on her dates becomes part of Linh's routine, especially after a university shooting at Linh's work that leaves her feeling adrift - at least her mom's dating life gives her something to focus on. Linh doesn't exactly have a life of her own (dating or othe...rwise) and figures the best course of action is action - not how she handled the shooting: curl up in a ball and wait it out. Linh is slowly forced to reconcile the image of her mother from her childhood with the woman she's getting to know as an adult. Growing up Vietnamese in the middle of Texas with a broken household taught Linh a certain guarded way of living - one she never quite left behind." -- Jacket flap.

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FICTION/Votang Thao
0 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
1st Floor New Shelf FICTION/Votang Thao (NEW SHELF) Due Feb 22, 2025
Subjects
Mothers and daughters > Fiction.
Dating (Social customs) > Fiction.
Asian Americans > Fiction.
Novels.
Genres
Novels
Published
New York, NY : Alcove Press 2024.
Language
English
Main Author
Thao Votang (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
263 pages ; 22 cm
ISBN
9781639107896
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Linh Ly is really just fine. She plays tennis, she has a steady job, she spends time with her best friend, and she lives in a well-kept apartment. Her life is neat and ordered. Her mother's, however, is a different story: after a divorce, Linh's mother is back on the dating scene, and Linh is having trouble adjusting. But she's still fine! So what if she looks up the men's information online and goes to the restaurants where her mother is socializing while her mother is there? So what if she sleeps in the car waiting for her mother to return home? Turns out, Linh Ly is not fine, and Votang's hilarious, dry, and sometimes heartbreaking prose attests to this. Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine is a brilliant tribute to the struggles of navigating one's changing circumstances and one's mental health as well as a tribute to the idea of getting to know one's family as an adult. This homage to Vietnamese American culture by a debut author is a treasure and a beautiful read.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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